Can exploring how biological and physical systems behave in microgravity lead to new scientific discoveries?

Microgravity is an environment where gravity does not act – or seem to act – on an object or thing, making it appear weightless. This is unlike how gravity works on Earth, where it is permanently acting on objects.

One way microgravity is achieved is by sending objects to orbital space platforms such as the International Space Station (ISS). Though among the more reliable and effective approaches, it’s also one of the most expensive. German microgravity experiment specialist YURI hopes to change that by lowering cost barriers and bringing microgravity within reach of more research organizations worldwide.

Launched by a team of aerospace engineers, YURI was established to make access to microgravity experimentation simpler, quicker and more affordable. Central to the startup’s success is its ability to build specialized experiment hardware using modular blocks and then reuse these designs and knowledge. This lets them go from the ideation stage to experiment launch within a matter of months. All of this is handled on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud, including the Reinvent the Sky industry solution experience.

One of the first organizations to benefit from YURI’s offerings is the University of Technology Sydney’s (UTS) School of Biomedical Engineering. After running tests that found 80 to 90% of certain cancer cells died within 24 hours of being in a microgravity simulator, it now plans to send ovarian, breast, nose and lung cancer cells to the ISS to continue its research.

To find out more about YURI and this exciting mission, read the full story here.